Blackhawks won’t tank and they could use some offensive prospects
Jimmy Greenfield of the Chicago Tribune: The Chicago Blackhawks won’t go into tank mode, but they could really use a top-five pick.
The Blackhawks need to focus on adding some offensive prospects after they’ve taken care of the defensive side of things.
After trading Marian Hossa to the Coyotes to clear up cap space, but it may have came too late as it was after free agency. To make a trade to use the extra space they may need to trade prospects or picks which is something GM Stan Bowman may not want to do.
Are the Sabres willing to invest in Skinner long-term?
Chris Nichols of Nichols on Hockey: Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 and was asked about the Buffalo Sabres and pending unrestricted free agent forward Jeff Skinner.
Dreger agrees with WGR’s report last week that Skinner could be looking for something in the $8.5 to $9 million range. Both sides agreed before the season to wait until at least Christmas to see how things play out.
“Well, it looks like a can’t-lose now because he’s playing like a player who’s in his contact year and he’s having great success with the Buffalo Sabres. But I’m not so convinced where they’re at a place where they’re willing to invest in him yet long term. Maybe they get there. Maybe they get there between now and Christmas or early into the New Year, but I think that Buffalo has a real good grasp of where they’re at in terms of development, progress, all of those things, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some discussion on whether you throw a player like that into the rental market come February 25, if you don’t have a deal that makes sense.”
Dreger adds that if the Sabres aren’t sold they want to invest long-term in Skinner they might be able to “get a king’s ransom for him.”